America - the boy that cried "Mexican!"

One issue plagueing the whole immigration issue in America that Massey has confronted in the latter half of chapter 4 is the incessant stigmatization of Mexican immigrants.  So much so, in fact, that we have created a DMZ of sorts out of our southern border, and created a judicial witch hunt of sorts to track down immigrants who have come into this country illegally.  It is as if we are afraid that the influx of Latin American culture into our picturesque, Andy Griffith-like view of the world will tear the very fabric of our great democracy, which is completely proposterous.  It is the economic boom created by these immigrants that create thriving port cities and towns along borders and keeps our industries afloat.  Unfortunately, their presence in this country is seen by some politicians as annoying and unwanted.  Through our own stigmatizing policies, we have placed the Latin American population at the bottom of the socioeconomic rung.